Aydın cotton season begins with first harvest sold at 100 TL per kg

The 2026 cotton season has officially commenced in Aydın, Turkey, with the first harvest being purchased by the Aydın Tariş Cotton and Oilseeds Agricultural Sales Cooperative. Producer Mehmet Kocaman delivered 200 kilograms of cotton from his 30-dönüm field in the Kadıköy neighborhood, which was purchased at a rate of 100 TL per kilogram.

Tolga Önal, President of the Cooperative, noted that while the initial purchase was symbolic, cost prices at the İzmir Commodity Exchange are currently around 90 TL. Önal expressed concern regarding the declining acreage of cotton cultivation, stating that the area has already decreased by 30 percent in the cooperative's region. He warned that if prices do not remain high enough to cover rising costs—such as diesel, which has exceeded 90 TL—the decline in planting areas could accelerate significantly, potentially leading to a total loss of production in some areas.